Tarigami Urges LG to Release Pending Wages, Salaries of Anganwadi Workers, Officials, Asks to ‘Fulfil Genuine Demand Without Any Further Delay’

Srinagar, January 14:Thousands of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers working under the Social Welfare Department’s Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in Jammu and Kashmir are without wages for the last eight months and liability of some months of year 2019 which is unfortunate, CPI (M) leader Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami in a letter addressed to LG reads.

Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, in his letter to incumbent LG Manoj Sinha, has highlighted the issues confronting Anganwadi Workers, Helpers, Supervisors and helpers to supervisors and urged him to fulfill their genuine demands without any further delay, reads a statement issued to GNS.

The letter, as per the statement, reads that these employees have been working tirelessly as most of the government schemes are implemented through them. Even during the ongoing fight against Covid-19 pandemic, they have been on the forefront.

“Unfortunately over the years they have been treated with utter contempt by the government”, the letter as per the statement reads.

In 2018, the government had announced to enhance the honorarium of the workers/helpers by Rs 500 per month. However, more than two years down the line, the promise is yet to be fulfilled, the letter reads.

Another category which is helpers to supervisors and whose number is 852 are without wages for the last three years. The Central share for their wages for the year 2019 has been released but the state share is yet to be released, the letter, as per the statement reads.

“The administrative apathy towards their genuine issues is against justice and fair play. They are being denied social security benefits including promotion, gratuity, pension, provident fund, medical facilities, etc. and add to it more than 1500 ICDS supervisors are without salaries for the last eight months, resulting in immense hardships for them. These employees have to feed their families, but despite working hard, they are not paid their wages and salaries on time”, the letter remarks.

“We hope not only the wages and salaries of these employees are released immediately, but fullfilled their other genuine demands. are also fulfilled at the earliest”, the letter reads further.